Sunday, January 24, 2010

Mineral Powder Review

Hey there,
So I am not much of a fan of mineral makeup in general. I really do not get its point. But I still try some.

Spotlight: L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder
Dime sized hole since I hit pan, finally!

If you are used to (and tired of!) reading reviews of my favorite products, here goes an exception!!!

My thoughts, a bit harsh...

First of all, the price of this foundation powder is skyrocketting in comparison with its quality. I think I paid $12.99 for it, a long time ago. it comes in a 9.5 g/0.33 fl oz jar that has the typically huge lid and small product-filled bottom. I have it a try for a week and hated it, left it aside for over six months, and now went back to it because I am desperate to run out of it.

The company claims that this product will provide a "flawless finish." Well, it did absolutely nothing for me as a foundation. The color range is lacking and oftentimes mismatched. There are eight shades, only eight!! My mediterranean olive skin tone came up as third before last. That's absurd in my opinion as there are tons of shades darker than me - two other colors won't cover that darker range. In almost all of L'Oreal's foundations, I am in the Buff colors. Well, I got this in 418 Buff Beige and it's way too light for my skintone. Given that you don't have samplers/testers in drugstores, it would be much simpler if the company kept true to naming its shades. It won't even my skintone nor hide any imperfections like the majority of drugstore brand foundations. That is a bummer! :[

The crescent moon shaped brush it came with is completely useless; it is as rough as you can get with a pressed powder brush - the handle is awkward, it sheds without being used, and I would never consider putting it near my face. Because it is so harsh and fake, once you try to swipe it in the product, the pressed powder is scapped off into a pigment powder. I was not expecting that. If I wanted loose powder, I would not have gotten pressed powder. After a few applications, it seemed a bit chunky, which I despise in pressed powders.

Now that I hit pan on this powder, I noticed that it is not fine in texture; actually, it has layers of pressed powder instead of the common practice of loose powder in a jar and THEN it gets pressed. It is too rough to apply on the skin, even at a light hand. It's too heavy for a regular mineral powder. How did I hit pan, you ask? I have practically forced myself to use it to set my foundation (liquid). I swirl my nicest and softest brush in it for a better application throughout my face. I sweep it extremelt lightly or else this will end up looking cakey on me, which tends to happen with all mineral foundations. This also prevents it from making me look pale, since it's only a little bit of product on brush to my face. It also failed on me as a highlighter, which was my original thought to use it as when I realized it was too light of a foundation. Speaking of that, I am disappointed at it mineral foundation properties. I have another L'Oreal Mineral Powder that I am somewhat satisfied with, but this is purely useless.

I like that this powder has SPF 24, which helps certain people who are the laziest at wearing sunscreen (like me!). I also like the fact that this is unscented/fragrance free. If it smelled horribly, it would be the least of my problems with it. But I still appreciate that it's frangrance free which makes it bearable until I finish it. It also works for all skin types, a result I can attest to since I have used it as different times of my skin type cycle - from dry to normal to semi-oily. I tried this on my mother, who has sensitive skin, and her skin was not irritated afterwards. So I'd give it a plus for being friendly to sensitive skin women. As for its lasting powder, it leans more towards long-lasting, but still not enough for a whole day of work or school. It is also readily available. I don't remember not having seen this product at any drugstore around me.

If this was a high-end product, I would have returned it within a few days. I am someone who thinks it is worth it to try anything, but I would suggest you try some other L'Oreal mineral powder instead of this. Save your money, please.

~ TheBeautyBebe

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Cuticle Cream Review

Hey there,
Are you someone who loves taking care of your nails and hands? Yep? Then keep reading...

Spotlight on: Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme














In its packaging
Already hit pan (you can see my finger mark)

This is one of my HG products, in the nail care category. I got this from a drugstore for a couple of bucks; check your local CVS, they carry Burt's Bees for sure. It comes in the form of a small, round, tint jar. It also comes in a larger size, which I imagine you could use at home, in your nightstand for example. I really like the packaging because it fits anywhere and it stays moist, due to the way it "locks" itself after you close it. There must be some geometry involved in the making of its circular shape. The way you use this is by sticking your finger in the jar, quickly swiping some creme on top of all your nails; then, after all nails have been coated, just massage it for about 5 mins. If you do this after taking a shower or bath, it is much easier for the product to permeate to your weak cuticle areas, since they are still open and moist. You should follow this regime all the time, for the benefit of nail care. What I like about it:

  • Burt's Bees is 100% natural and does not test on animals.
  • The price is reasonable for the great quality product you get. Not that cheap, but still affordable.
  • As the name hints, it contains a lemon scent and coloring. True lemon smell without it being overpowering!!!
  • The ingredients include almond oil, beeswax, lemon oil, cocoa butter, rosemary leaf oil, sunflower oil, etc. These are all amazing for your skin and do not irritate it in the absolute.
  • My own discovery has suggested to me that this also helps with nail growth and strengthening. I have not been using any other new product besides this one, and my nails have been growing tremendously. My nails have not been cracking or splitting.
  • Not only does this lemon butter cuticle cream smell good but it also makes your nails whiter, because that is a property of lemon juice. So, if your nails have gotten a bit yellow due to intense nail polishes, this product offers that great extra help.
  • Just like the feel of butter, it is super soft and easy to use.
  • Double long lasting power - One refers to the longevity of the product itself in the jar. I have been using this twice a day, for over a month and I just dented it yesterday. It will take a long time until you hit pan on it. The other meaning refers to the creme in your nails. Just like skin creams/lotions, your cuticle area and nail absorbs it after massaging for a few minutes. If you do this at night, you will notice a huge difference in your nails' softeness the next morning. Please, do make sure to wash your hands and clean the area under your nail with some kind of nail brush. If there is any dirt, it will stop the creme from getting directly to your nail, which is counterproductive. So clean hands and nails = easier access to nail bed and cuticles.
  • It does not make your hands and nails feel oil-y after use. It can also be combined with hand cream/lotion, so you can treat your skin and your cuticles at the same time.
  • Great friend to recovering nail bitting addicts, like me ;)

I would not hesitate to recommend this cuticle cream. Have you tried it before? Thumbs up or down for you? If YOU have any suggestions in this field, tell me; I'd love to hear it.

~ TheBeautyBebe

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Makeup Removers Review

Hey there,

Don't you just hate it when you have all this gorgeous makeup on and at the end of your day, you have to go through the pain of taking it ALL off? Yep, that is how I feel. Secure bases for eyeshadow application, heavy eyeliner, multiple coats of mascara, foundation, blush, bronzer, highlighter, and why don't we throw some red lips in there as well... So much work, no wonder some people don't even take it off. But, that's bad! So you must work harder, right? Well, the answer is no. All you need to do is find the perfect makeup remover for your skin. I am one of those people who will try any new makeup removers on the market - gels, liquids, wet towels, etc. Some also cost more than anyone is willing to fork out of their pockets. Based on my experience, I have a few words of wisdom.

My favorite makeup remover is from Lancome, the famous Bi-Facial Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, which comes in a liquid form in a very cute packaging. You get familiar with a blue bottle with a rose in it, so gorgeous. I love it because it removes everything. When you wash your face after removing your makeup, no marks of makeup are visible. You pay $26 for 4.2 oz of product - pretty expensive! I got mine at a Macy's Lancome counter. It can be hard to find, sometimes. And it does have an oil-y feel to it, so, I will not repurchase it.

Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Liquid - The company claims that it is America's #1 makeup remover brand. I love Almay's products because they are so eco-friendly and natural (for people with allergies) but this one disappointed me. It takes off a good part of my makeup but I have to soak many cotton balls to get the desired result. I feel I waste so much product by using this bottle. The liquid itself feels harsh on the skin half the time, as if it resists being put it contact with it. I found that it feels very water-y. I think it is worth a try because it only costs a few dollars at any drugstore, but when there are alternatives, skip this. I have not tried the towelettes though. Maybe I'll decide to do that soon.

Neutrogena Oil-Free eye makeup remover - Again, a liquid form. You can find it at any drugstore. I got mine at CVS; 5.5 oz. of product for $7.99, I believe. This stuff works! It takes off a good majority of my makeup (lukewarm water can do the rest of the work) and does not irritate my skin. It is so easy to use and glides onto your skin. I really would love to try the gel form of it, which comes with a great pump. Perhaps on my next trip to Target.

Towelettes - Neutrogena, Target brand, Garnier Frutis, etc. I personally do not prefer using them because they make the job so much harder. I love the feeling of a soft towel next to my skin, but when I have to scrub to get rid of mascara, I know I am in trouble. These generally do not dry out on me, and I always get less than a 50 count. I do the trick of turning them halway so that they all remain soaked in makeup remover. They tend to smell a lot better than liquids, which is a bonus in my opinion. If you are an experimenter like me, give them a try.

My mother is not much of a makeup wearer, but the one trick she showed me when I began wearing makeup is to use natural ingredients to remove everything. I tried many oils (coconut and almond, basically because I love the two). Last stop was - olive oil, the miracle! It works perfect and I know it is working with my skin, instead of against it. After using it, my skin will feel soft to the touch and clean. I always run to olive oil for removing makeup (especially in the last few months since I have not bought any makeup remover). I waited to run out of them all and have filled the bottles with olive oil, after cleaning them of course. If you have Extra Virgin Olive Oil available, use it. If not, I find that good quality olive oil does the trick just as fine. And the best part is, chances are you have it in your pantry! So when you run out of any makeup remover you use, grab that bottle and help yourself =)

So these have been my experiences, my lovelies. Granted, I have tried many more that I feel were not worth mentioning or it might have been a long time ago. I also have tons to try in the near future. If you have any suggestions for me or questions about any of the above, go ahead and ask them, that is what I am here for.

~ TheBeautyBebe

PS. Thanks to my first follower/subscriber for the suggestion for today's post. Thank you!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Project 10 Pan

Hey there,
Title of this post is self-explanatory. I have failed FOUR times already with Project 10 Pan. The first time I tried was when the first hype of it got to youtube. Then, with each guru trying it, I was inspired to do the same. But, for some odd reason, I never succeeded to finish more than 3 products. So I just get tired of it. Nevertheless, I am giving it another try, #5! There are many products I want to get rid off. My problem is not the "no-buy rule." Au contraire, I just get bored of using the same products and feel pressured to forget experiementing with my makeup. Do you feel me here? I hate forcing myself to use a product I never grab anyways... But, I must!!! So that these 10 products won't be part of my collection anymore and I can finally breathe happy. Share your thoughts on P10P in the comments area - have you succeeded or not, what are your reasons for doing it or for not doing it, and on... Any questions on the following products, feel free to ask them.

The 10 products in the fifth round:
1. Clinique Foundation (Look for my review in this blog)
2. Carmex
3. Wet n Wild Pencil in Bronze
4. Wet n Wild Lipgloss
5. Foundation Samples
6. Estee Lauder Face Creme
7. L'Oreal Mineral Foundation
8. DK Creme Sample
9. New York & Co.: Uptown Angel - Vanilla Body Mist
10. New York and Co.: Downtown Darling - Passion Fruit Body Mist

Wish me luck please :)
(Change of color from blue to maroon = product finished)
~ TheBeautyBebe

Skincare Product Review

Spotlight on: St. Ives Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer
This is my HolyGrail skincare product, that's how much I love it. It comes in a 10 oz/283 g jar that goes a long way. When you open it the first time, you see that it is filled up to the rim, so you get all that you pay for. I got mine a while ago at Walmart. I don't remember the exact price but it was somewhere around $5-$7. As you see, pretty inexpensive for the amount of moisturizer there is in it. I have used this for about two years now; I'm in my second jar. You can use your fingers to dig into this. I personally prefer using a foundation brush, since it can go deep down the jar when I am at that point. I don't like cream getting into my nails. But in the beginning of it, you can use your fingers for sure. The major bonus of this product, other than its good quality moisturizer, is that is has collagen in it which fills any fine lines. Now, granted, this product won't do any miracles like disappearing wrinkles. However, you skin will feel smooth as soon as you put it on. I use it in the morning (cover my whole face, do my eye makeup, and then my skin is ready for foundation etc without the need of a face primer) and at night (right before going to sleep). It won't leave your skin feeling or looking greasy and as it claims, it is for all skin types. It has natural ingredients and I have not found that it irritates my skin in any way. Nor has it dried/flaked it out. My skin is definitely smoother after using it. I do trust this moisturizer to keep my skin healthy looking. If you have extra dry skin, go ahead and use a generous size of it. For myself, I have found that a dime size works great. GO GET IT NOW! If you do not like it after my recommendation, just return it, haha and of course, tell me your opinion on this product.
~ TheBeautyBebe

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Clinique Foundation Review

Hey there, Font size
The first thing I need to say is that I am in love with foundation. Now let's move on to the purpose of this product review.

Spotlight on: Clinique's "Almost Makeup" Foundation

I got mine for $21 at a Macy's counter, where I was able to get a shade matched to my skintone. My color is in 03 - Medium. Unfortunately, this comes in only 6 shades: Neutral, Fair, Neutral Fair, Light, Medium, and Deep. It is technically a tinted moisturizer, hence the name "almost makeup." However, from what I have experienced with it, I see it as a liquid foundation since it works like any other regular foundation. I suggest buying this at some sort of sale the Clinique or the store has. I do not suggest buying it online because I believe you would be way off in finding the right color for you. And we all have had bad experiences with foundation colors! I am usually around the medium color range in most foundations from any brand; however, with this one, I was originally going to get Light, since Medium seemed too far on the other side of the spectrum. Obviously, I was wrong and I needed the MUA to show me so.

This foundation is generally matte and gives a really dewy look which I love. So not completely matte in my opinion. It has a sheer coverage, which is great for those lazy days when I just need a thin layer to cover a few imperfections. It also has SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15, an ideal number for me (someone who never wears sunscreen, shame on me, I know!). It can last for many hours, such as a whole school day/work day. It is quite easy to take off. I stay away from makeup remover when taking off face makeup. Cleanser and water is enough for me. This does need to be set with a powder, whether translucent or with a shade.

I think this is great for dry skin, because it has moisturizer in it, yay. For normal skin, like mine, I'd say use fewer product because too much can make you look like you have oily skin. For those of you out there with oily skin, I have to tell you to stay away from it because it will worsen how your skin looks. As everything else from Clinique, it's fragrance free.

I have finished most of the bottle (1.5 fl oz/45 ml); I may be in the last 1/5 of it. It has lasted me for a long time, maybe 6 months. I do alternate between foundations. But this is my go-to because of its ease of application (gotta love using your hands for putting this on). The only down side about this, for me, is that it has a pink tint instead of a yellow one. Given my tan skin, it can make me look too hype and rosy. I have found a solution to that though - lightly applied powder foundation to top it (which also strengthens the coverage of this tinted moisturizer). I can honestly say it has never broken me out so far, so big thumbs up for that. Overall, I give this product an A because it is simply amazing.

For all of us lazy makeup addicts who sometimes wake up and have no time to do a full face makeup - this is perfect and I am in love with it. It has the miracles of SPF, moisturizer, natural looking finish, and sheer coverage. Go check it out and tell me how you feel about it. I highly recommend it.

PS. - I might not repurchase this once I am finished because I want to try so many other foundations.

~ TheBeautyBebe

Introduction and Inspirational

Hey there,
Welcome, welcome, welcomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I have to thank you for stopping by.
I am starting this project with one goal in my mind: to inspire at least one girl to look deep into herself, despite what she is often told. As cheesy as this will sound, we are all beautiful once we consider ourselves to be so. Sure, it is nice when someone else notes our beauty. However, when we cherish it, it takes a new meaning, I'd say a sense of ownership. Yes, this is a beauty page where I share my passion for makeup. But, this is also a place to show the diverse components of beauty. I believe confidence and independence are the two main ones, among other really important ones. In here, I will also address other topics besides makeup - like school, weight gain/loss, relationships, fashion, etc. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can certainly email me at beautybebe77@live.com.
I will talk to you soon, my darlings.

I bid thee adieu, and I am in your service,
~ TheBeautyBebe